a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a robotic catheter system and method for automated control of a catheter and related components. In particular, the instant invention relates to a robotic catheter system including a system and method for detection of obstructions that may hinder or otherwise stop movement of catheter and/or sheath manipulation bases, and related components during operation of the robotic catheter system.
b. Background Art
Electrophysiology catheters are used in a variety of diagnostic and/or therapeutic medical procedures to correct conditions such as atrial arrhythmia, including for example, ectopic atrial tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter. Arrhythmia can create a variety of dangerous conditions including irregular heart rates, loss of synchronous atrioventricular contractions and stasis of blood flow which can lead to a variety of ailments and even death.
Typically in a procedure, a catheter is manipulated through a patient's vasculature to, for example, a patient's heart, and carries one or more electrodes which may be used for mapping, ablation, diagnosis, or other treatments. Once at the intended site, treatment may include radio frequency (RF) ablation, cryoablation, lasers, chemicals, high-intensity focused ultrasound, etc. An ablation catheter imparts such ablative energy to cardiac tissue to create a lesion in the cardiac tissue. This lesion disrupts undesirable electrical pathways and thereby limits or prevents stray electrical signals that lead to arrhythmias. As readily apparent, such treatment requires precise control of the catheter during manipulation to and at the treatment site, which can invariably be a function of a user's skill level.
One method of minimizing invariability due to a user's skill level involves the use of robotic catheter systems, such as the robotic catheter system described in detail in commonly owned and copending application Ser. No. 12/347,811 titled “Robotic Catheter System”. As readily evident, such robotic catheter systems include a variety of safety concerns that must be addressed to prevent harm to a patient and the system operator. One such safety concern includes the possibility of an obstruction in the path of manipulation bases supporting the catheter and sheath cartridges, the layout and operation of which is also described in detail in the aforementioned “Robotic Catheter System” application.
The inventors herein have thus recognized the need for a system and method for detection of obstructions that may hinder or otherwise stop movement of manipulation bases and related components, and have further recognized the need for a system and method for controlling movement of the manipulation bases in a predetermined manner based on the type and location of an obstruction and other factors involving movement of the manipulation bases.